Blade connection means for poweroperated slicing knife



Oct. 27, 1964 A. H. FREEMAN 3,153,852

BLADE CONNECTION MEANS FOR POWER-OPERATED SLICING KNIFE Filed July 29, 1963 United states Patent o 3,153,852 ELABE C'NNECTN @HANS FOR PGWER- @PERATED SLISEJG KNEE Arthur H. Freeman, Brockport, NX., assigner to General Eiectrie Company, a corporation of New York File-d fiuly 29, 1963, Ser. No. 298,304 4 Claims. (Cl. Sil-272) This invention relates to power-operated knives and in particular to such knives having one or more blades which are readily removable from the driving mechanism of the knife.

In power operated-slicing knives, particularly those intended primarily for household culinary chores, it is desirable to provide for the removal of the knife blade or blades from the drive mechanism between uses. This permits thorough cleansing of the blades without concern for liquid getting into the drive mechanism. However, the means by which the blades are removably connected to the knife drive must be convenient to operate, must provide for safe handling of the blades and must insure positive engagement of the blades and the drive. My present invention is an improvement of the application of Thomas F. Nelson, Serial No. 298,301, filed July 29, 1963, and assigned to the assignee of the present application, which invention was made by Thomas F. Nelson prior to my invention.

Accordingly, it is one object of this invention to provide an improved means for manual engagement and disengagement of the knife lades and the drive mechanism.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a means which is capable of convenient, safe manual operation and which eliminates the need for any tools.

lt is still another object of this invention to provide low cost means for removably securing one or more knife blades to a drive mechanism so as to prevent longitudinal or vertical relative movement therebetween.

ln carrying out the objects of my invention in one form thereof, a power-operated slicing knife is provided having a resilient latch member which is secured to one side of the knife blade and includes means which are laterally engageable with a member of the knife drive mechanism. A portion of the latch extends beyond the mouth of a housing which encloses the drive mechanism so that the user may release the latch from the drive at a point exterior to the housing adjacent the mouth thereof. The drive member may be secured to the latch member by a lateral projection on one of these members and an engaging surface on the other member which mates with the projection. 1n this wax the blade and the drive mechanism are engaged so as to insure a positive driving relation and to prevent any relative longitudinal motion therebetween. While vertical movement is restricted by the engagement of the projection and the mating surface, a channel in the drive member which is complementary with the tang of the knife blade prevents any pivotal motion about the area of engagement between the latch and the driven member.

Other objects and advantages of my invention may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FG. 1 is a perspective view of a power-operated slicing knife which incorporates this invention, a portion of the knife blades being deleted for clarity;

PIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rear portion of the knife blades removed from the handle housing;

FG. 3 is a plan view of the rear portion of the knife blades of FIG. 2;

HG. 4 is a perspective View of one driven member of the slicing which is adapted for connection to a knife blade; and

3,153,852 Patented Oct. 27, 1964 ICC FIG. 5 is a plan view of the knife drive in partial section showing the manual removal of the blades from the knife drive.

FIG. l shows a power-operated slicing knife having a housing or handle 1li and a pair of knife blades 11 and 12. Housing 1i) is provided with an opening or mouth 13 at one end and encloses the driving mechanism of the knife including an electric motor 14, a transmission 15 and a pair of connecting members or rods 16 and 17. Transmission 15 provides means for converting the rotary motion of motor 14, about an axis which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of housing 10, to a reciprocating motion, to drive blades 11 and 12 with a counter-reciprocating motion in short rapid axial strokes.

The knife blades include forward cutting portions 11a and 12a and rearward tang portions 11b and 12b. To positively engage knife blades 11 and 12 with connecting rods 16 and 17 respectively, the tang portions of the blades are provided with unique resilient members or latches 18 and 19 respectively, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5.

Latches 1S and 19 are identical and respectively include rear or fixed ends 29 and 21, apertures 22 and 23, and forward or free ends 24 and 25. The rear ends 2) and 21 of the latches are secured to the tang portions of their respective knife blades by any suitable fastening means such as rivets 26 and 27 in generally cantilever fashion. The latches are movable about their rear fastening means toward or away from their respective knife blades.

in their normal positions (best seen in FIG. 3) latches 1d and 19 are biased so that free ends 24 and 25 are spaced outwardly from the lateral faces of the blades to provide for a resilient snap engagement of the latches with connecting rods 16 and 17. Connecting rods 16 and 17 are mirror images of one another and for this reason only the construction of connecting rodv 17 as shown in FIG. 4 will be explained.

In accordance with another aspect of my invention, connecting rod 17 includes a metallic cross arm 28 and a plastic channel member 29 which are laterally fastened at various points 36. Upon energization of motor 14, channel member 29 reciprocates axially, being slidingly supported in the forward portion of housing 10 by a guide 31 (see FIG. l) and being connected to transmission 15 by cross arm 28.

Channel member 29 includes a receiving portion 29a which is positioned immediately adjacent mouth 13 of housing 1@ inside of the housing. Receiving portion 29a is generally C-shaped and includes upper and lower sloping surfaces 2gb which are adapted to guide the tang portion of blade 12 when the blade tangs are being inserted into the channel member. A similar guiding function is accomplished by diverging vertical surfaces located at the top and bottom of the receiving portion, the bottom diverging surface being shown at 29C. Horizontal surfaces, integrally formed in channel member 29 at 29d and 29e, are spaced from one another slightly more than the vertical dimension of the tang of blade 12 so as to prevent any relative vertical movement between the blade tang and the connecting rod. Spaced vertical surfaces, provided by tabs 2% and 29g, and ridges 29h and 29 are adapted to receive the blade tang in close accommodation therebetween to guide the insertion of the blade tang into housing 1i?. These vertical surfaces also prevent substantial lateral movement of the blade when the blade is connected to the connecting rod.

In order to provide an improved positive driving connection between connecting rod 17 and the knife blade 12, a projection 32 is integrally formed with cross arm 2S for mating lateral engagement with aperture 23 of latch 19. Like aperture 23, projection 32 is of rounded, rectangular form or generally elliptical and is vertically arranged. The projection is slightly smaller than the periphery of aperture 23 so as to be accommodated in aperture 23 when brought into engagement therewith. The rounded, rectangular configuration of projection 32 and aperture 23, providing generally parallel front and rear surfaces and rounded top and bottom surfaces, has been found to achieve reduced wearing of the engaging members, thereby producing a long life, positive drive, connection. Due to the vertical arrangement of the rounded, rectangular connection, maximum front and rear vertical engaging areas are provided to absorb the stresses resulting from the reciprocating motion of the members. The upper and lower engaging surfaces of the rounded, rectangular connection cooperate with Athe various integral surfaces of channel member 29 to limit relative vertical motion between the knife blade and the channel member. Furthermore, the mating relation of projection 32 and aperture 23 also insures accurate alici ment of blade 12 in channel member 29.

It should be noted that latch 19 is normally biased so that an intermediate portion 33 of latch 19, located between its rear end 21 and its aperture 23, is spaced laterally from the outer face of blade 12 a greater distance than the spacing of projection 32 from blade 12 when the blade resides in channel member 29. Thus, when blade 12 is inserted in channel member 29 and is pushed in- Wardly, intermediate portion 33 of latch 19 slidingly contacts the forward inner edge of projection 32 and this contact urges latch 1g inwardly toward the outer face of blade 12 in opposition to the normal outward bias of the latch. When aperture 23 then reaches projection 32, the

normal outward bias of latch 19 causes it to spring or snap outwardly encompassing projection 32.

The connection between blade 11 and its connecting rod 16 is identical with that described with respect to blade 12 and connecting rod 17. As may be seen in FIG. 5, connecting rod 16 includes a cross arm 34 and a channel member 35. A projection 36 is provided by cross arm 34 for lateral engagement with aperture 22 of latch 1S.

It can be seen that in order to release the knife blades from engagement with their respective connecting rods, it is merely necessary to depress free ends 24 and 25 of the latch members laterally inwardly to release the latch apertures from engagement with the cross arm projections. The blade latches 18 and 19 are dimensioned between their respective apertures and their free ends so that the free ends extend beyond mouth 13 of housing lil when the blades are engaged with the connecting rods,

Thus detachment of the blades from the connecting rods may be conveniently carried out by grasping the free ends of the latches between the thumb and the forenger and pressing inwardly with a pinching motion. This operation is clearly shown in FIG. in which the housing has been removed for clarity. Note that the pinching operation which releases the latches also provides a holding force for the blades. In this manner the user may release both blade latches and withdraw the blades from the housing with a single one hand operation. The safety as well as the convenience of operation of my `invention may be readily seen. Blades 11 and 12 may be simultaneously inserted into their respective channel members and may be released therefrom with one hand which grasps the blades from above clear of the sharp lower blade edges.

Y It should also be noted that the lateral mating means of the latch and drive members are particularly adapted for use in a power-operated slicing knife having a reciprocating blade action. In such knives it is merely necessary to guide the knife through the food being cut while applying a downward pressure. The downward pressure being in a vertical plane would subject a vertical connection between the knife blade and the drive mechanism to a loosening influence.

It is to be understood that the particular construction described herein is by way of example only and it is the aim of the appended claims to cover all such equivalent variations as come within the true spirit and scope of the foregoing disclosure.

What is new and desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. An electrically operated slicing knife comprising:

(a) a housing;

(b) means defining an opening at one end of said housing;

(c) an electric motor within said housing adapted to be connected to a source of power;

(d) a pair of driven members within said housing connected to said motor to be driven thereby with a counter-reciprocating motion;

(e) a pair of knife blades, each having a forward cutting portion and a rearward tang portion, each of said tang portions being adapted for insertion into said housing opening;

(f) a pair of latches, each being secured to the tang portion of one of said knife blades;

(g) means on each of said latches defining an aperture;

(h) a pair of lateral projections, one of said projections being secured to each of said driven members and adapted for mating engagement with the aperture of one of said latches when said tangs are inserted in said opening; and

(i) release means on each of said latches extending forwardly from said apertures and passing through said housing opening to permit release of both of said apertures from said projections by a single pinching motion of the operators hand.

2. An electrically operated slicing knife comprising:

(a) a housing;

(b) means deiining an opening at one end of said housing;

(c) an electric motor within said housing adapted to be connected to a source of power;

(d) a pair of driven members within said housing connected to said motor;

(e) transmission means connecting Said driven members to said motor for causing counter-reciprocating motion of said members;

(f) a pair of knife blades, each having a forward cutting portion and a rearward tang portion, each of said tang portions being adapted for insertion into said housing opening;

(g) a pair of latches, each having their rearward ends secured to the tang portion of one of said knife blades;

(h) means on each of said latches dening an aperture;

(i) a pair of lateral projections, one of said projections being secured to each of said driven members and adapted for mating engagement with the aperture of one of said latches when said tangs are inserted in said opening; and

(j) a free end on each of said latches extending forwardly from said housing opening to permit release of both of said apertures from said'projections by a single pinching motion of the operators hand.

3. InV a power-operated slicing knife having a housing,

an electric motor within said housing adapted for connection to a source of power, transmission means in driving engagement with said motor, and a knife blade, means for removably connecting said knife blade to said transmission means comprising:

(cz) a connecting member in driving engagement with said transmission and including: (an) a rigid cross arm; Y (bb) a molded blade receiving member having a channel adapted to receive said blade and including a side wall having means defining an aperture therein; (cc) means for securing said cross arm to said receiving member; and

(dd) a rst lateral engaging element on said cross arm and extending at least partially through said aperture; and

(b) a second lateral engaging element on said blade;

(c) one of said lateral engaging elements including a projection;

(d) the other of said lateral engagQng elements including a resilient latch having means defining an aperture into which said projection extends for mating engagement therebetween when said blade is inserted into said receiving member.

4. A power-operated slicing knife comprising:

(a) a housing;

(b) means dening an opening at one end of said housing;

(c) an electric motor Within said housing adapted to be connected to a source of power;

(d) a pair of driven members Within said housing;

(e) means for driving said driven members from said motor with a counter-reciprocating motion;

(f) a pair of blade members each having a forward cutting portion and a rearward tang portion, said tang portion of each blade member being adapted for insertion into said housing opening;

(g) means for connecting said tank portions of each blade member to one of said driven members to provide a pair of drive units, including:

(aa) a resilient latch element secured to one member of each said units;

(bb) means defining a generally rounded, rectangular aperture on each of said latch elements;

(cc) a generally rounded, rectangular projection extending laterally from the other member of each of said units for close peripheral mating engager ent with the aperture of its respective latch element; and

(dd) release means on each of said latch elements for permitting release of both of said apertures from their respective projections.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 62,057 2/67 Nellie 30-377 X 174,417 3/76 Evans 30-162 1,481,168 l/ZL Wilson 30-44 1,890,566 12/32 Frank et al. 30-162 X 2,611,178 9/52 Whipple et al 30-162 2,725,629 12/55 Todhunter 3G-335 X 2,781,578 2/57 Guilfoyle 36-272 2,958,355 1l/6G Young 30-272 X 3,014,276 12/61 Prohaska 3(2-272 25 WiLLrAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

MLTON MEHR, Examiner. 

1. AN ELECTRICALLY OPERATED SLICING KNIFE COMPRISING: (A) A HOUSING; (B) MEANS DEFINING AN OPENING AT ONE END OF SAID HOUSING; (C) AN ELECTRIC MOTOR WITHIN SAID HOUSING ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF POWER; (D) A PAIR OF DRIVEN MEMBERS WITHIN SAID HOUSING CONNECTED TO SAID MOTOR TO BE DRIVEN THEREBY WITH A COUNTER-RECIPROCATING MOTION; (E) A PAIR OF KNIFE BLADES, EACH HAVING A FORWARD CUTTING PORTION AND A REARWARD TANG PORTION, EACH OF SAID TANG PORTIONS BEING ADAPTED FOR INSERTION INTO SAID HOUSING OPENING; (F) A PAIR OF LATCHES, EACH BEING SECURED TO THE TANG PORTION OF ONE OF SAID KNIFE BLADES; (G) MEANS ON EACH OF SAID LATCHES DEFINING AN APERTURE; (H) A PAIR OF LATERAL PROJECTIONS, ONE OF SAID PROJECTIONS BEING SECURED TO EACH OF SAID DRIVEN MEMBERS AND ADAPTED FOR MATING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE APERTURE OF ONE OF SAID LATCHES WHEN SAID TANGS ARE INSERTED IN SAID OPENING; AND (I) RELEASE MEANS ON EACH OF SAID LATCHES EXTENDING FORWARDLY FROM SAID APERTURES AND PASSING THROUGH SAID HOUSING OPENING TO PERMIT RELEASE OF BOTH OF SAID APERTURES FROM SAID PROJECTIONS BY A SINGLE PINCHING MOTION OF THE OPERATOR''S HAND. 